Preview: Premiership, Round Eight

It will be a bottom-of-the-table clash when Sale Sharks take on London Irish to kick off the Premiership action on Friday.

It will be a bottom-of-the-table clash when Sale Sharks take on London Irish to kick off the Premiership action on Friday.

Sale have not managed to win a game yet this season and have been disrupted further by uncertainty over the coaching staff, so they will be desperate to put together a good performance in front of their home crowd.

On Saturday Leicester Tigers entertain rivals Northampton Saints on Welford Road in what should be another hard-fought encounter whilst the pick of the action on Sunday sees Saracens take on London Wasps.

All the match details for Round Eight.

Friday, November 2

Sale Sharks v London Irish(Salford City Stadium, Kick-off: 20.00)

Sale Sharks still await their first victory of the Premiership season, but at least doubled their tally of league points with their losing bonus point at Worcester last Friday.

London Irish lost with the last play of the game against Harlequins at Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

The Exiles’ most recent two away wins in the Premiership have both come at Sixways, prior to that
it was at Northampton on 17 September 2011.

The two sides each won their respective home game when they met last season, whilst Sale are going
for successive home wins over London Irish for the first time since 1999.

Exeter Chiefs have suffered three successive defeats in all competitions. The Chiefs are the only side
who remain with a 100% home winning record in the Premiership this season.

Worcester Warriors have won their last three games in all competitions. The Warriors have won just once on the road in the Premiership since April 2009: 6-0 at London Wasps on New Year’s Day 2012.

Exeter have taken both previous Premiership encounters between the two clubs, whilst Worcester’s last win over Exeter was 25-14 at the County Ground in National One on 20 March 2004.

Teams:

Exeter Chiefs: TBC

Worcestor Warriors: TBC

Referee: David RoseAssistant referees: Paul Burton, Ashley Rowden

Harlequins v Gloucester(Twickenham Stoop, Kick-off: 17.15)

Defending Premiership champions Harlequins returned to the top of the table following their 31-28 victory at London Irish on Sunday.

Quins tripped up in their last game at the Stoop in the Premiership but have not lost successive home games at the venue in the tournament since May 2011.

Gloucester's only defeat so far this season came in the opening weekend at home to Northampton. The Cherry & Whites are the only unbeaten side away from home in the Premiership this season.

The last eleven encounters between the two clubs in the Premiership have all been won by the home side on the day, whilst Gloucester’s most recent victory at the Twickenham Stoop in the competition was 31-21 on 9 September 2006.

Saracens have lost only one game in any competition this season: 12-14 at Exeter in the Premiership on 23 September.

This is Sarries' first game at Vicarage Road since May, a venue where Saracens have been defeated just once in the Premiership since October 2010: 19-20 to Leicester on 19 February.

London Wasps have won four successive matches in all competitions, their best run since December 2010. Wasps have lost their last ten away games in the Premiership since they beat Worcester 14-12 at Sixways on 28 October 2011 – this represents their worst away run in Premiership history.

Each club won its respective “home” game when they met last season. Wasps’ only win at Vicarage Road since 2003 was 40-29 on 20 April 2008.